Hugh Grant, one of Britain's best known faces who has been equally entertaining on-screen as well as in real life, and had enough sense of humor to survive a media frenzy. He was born Hugh John Mungo Grant on September 9, 1960, in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. His father, James Grant, was an artist and a carpet salesman. His mother, Finvo...

Hugh Grant, one of Britain's best known faces who has been equally entertaining on-screen as well as in real life, and had enough sense of humor to survive a media frenzy. He was born Hugh John Mungo Grant on September 9, 1960, in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. His father, James Grant, was an artist and a carpet salesman. His mother, Finvola Grant, of Scottish ancestry, was a teacher. His grandfather was in the British Army during WWII. Young Grant was fond of literature and acting. He won a scholarship to Oxford, going up to New College in 1979. There he was involved in student drama, and considered a career as an art historian. After Oxford, he turned down a scholarship to do postgraduate studies in Art History at the Courtauld Institute in London, and focused on his acting career. In 1982, while still a student, Grant made his big screen.